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Neopia's Fill in the Blank News Source | 28th day of Running, Yr 26
The Neopian Times Week 130 > Continuing Series > The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Seven

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Seven

by dancepixie100

The Princess gently took the sword from Evander’s hands and admired it in the light before placing it back in her sheath. The Draik took something else out that he had hidden behind his wing, the dark nova. The delicate black star lay perfect and undamaged as before.

     “Evander, how did you get the nova?”

     “Ahhh, well, that was easy. While everyone was frantically looking for you and Phaedra was distracted, I managed to grab hold of it.” Ritz’s smile faltered as she took it in her hand. She looked questioningly at Evander.

     “Ritz, Phaedra was right. Only you can unlock the powers of the dark nova. But I urge you to use the powers for good and not for evil. If you choose good, then you can save the kingdom of Meridell from Phaedra’s terrible plan. But if you choose evil, then the nova will destroy your pure righteous essence and you will become like Phaedra, terrible, cruel, and cold. The prophecy of the sword was about you, and only you can fulfill it. Ritz, the time has come to fight. I cannot help you, only your heart can lead the way.” Evander lay a kiss on the Ixi’s head and a tear streamed down his face. Ritz knew what she had to do now, and her enemy was waiting for her. This would be the hardest test of all.

     Ritz held the nova in her hands and closed her eyes. She was no longer in the castle corridor with Evander. Dark shadows drifted to take the world’s place and any trace of light was extinguished. She was alone, cold, and scared in the depth of blackness. Haunting whispers and murdering cries filled the shadows. A bloodcurdling scream pierced the Ixi’s ears. Ritz was inside a shadow dream, and this time she could not fail.

     She turned around to see the yellow haunting eyes. They were bright with rage and anger. The orbs grew larger and wider as they came closer. But this time Ritz could see whom the eyes belonged to. Phaedra stepped forward and studied the Ixi with a grotesque look on her face. Ritz could tell that she was truly a beautiful Dark Faerie, even if evil corrupted her heart. Her purple gown sparkled majestically in the shadows and her long black hair looked like pure silk.

     “Ahh Princess, I have been expecting you,” she spat. The Ixi didn’t flinch or tremble in Phaedra’s presence. The Dark Faerie’s eyes narrowed with anger by how strong Ritz was keeping inside. She secretly refused to show any weakness or fright, if she did then Phaedra could have an opportunity to break her.

     Ritz listened carefully to the screams and cries from unknown beings that filled the shadows. She remembered the Light Faerie that was crying in the corner, the last time she entered the dream. She tried to find the Light Faerie again, but she was nowhere to be seen.

     “Who was that Light Faerie I saw last time?” Ritz asked. She was certain that Phaedra would hold the answer. Indeed she did, hidden behind her stiff and unfeeling heart. The Dark Faerie suddenly looked terribly sad and a single silver tear dropped from her yellow eyes.

     “That Light Faerie you saw last time was me,” she said simply. “Or rather a memory of myself,” she added. Phaedra sighed and gathered herself up again. “I suppose I should tell you now, for you shall not make it out alive anyway.” There was a long silence before she continued.

     “I was not always a Faerie of darkness as you see now. Along time ago, I was a Faerie of lightness.” She looked sick by the memory of her past. “I was a young Faerie at the Faerie Academy in Faerieland. In fact, I was one of the most talented and popular Faeries in the school. But I was always interested in the darker subjects to be learned. I strove to learn more about the dark arts and dark magical spells as well as Neopia’s most feared monsters. People thought it to be strange for a pure Light Faerie to be so interested in the darker side of Faerie craft. These were dark times, and a great evil was spreading over Neopia. I had nothing to do with it of course, but people couldn’t trust my word. One night, I was trying to convince my best friend Saphronia (who was an earth Faerie) that even though I was interested in dark spells and lore, I had nothing to do with the evil that was spreading and gaining power. But the next day, news of a horrible tragedy broke into the school. The evil force had taken my friend Saphronia. The academy pointed their fingers at me, and claimed that I had taken her life because of the great argument we had the night before. Nobody would listen to me, and my other friends betrayed me. The headmistress of the school decided to expel me forever for a crime that I did not commit. I lived alone, with no one to talk to and no friends to trust me. I began to hate the world for inflicting this fate upon me. I let hate and evil corrupt my innocent heart and I changed into my dark form. Ever since, I have been planning my revenge.” Phaedra ended her story with tears in her eyes but a bitter smile curved onto her lips and she laughed. Ritz felt a deep sorrow for Phaedra. She deserved a second chance.

     “Now, my foolish little Ixi, I shall fulfill my plans of revenge with the dark nova’s power. And since I am inside your dreams, all I will have to do is destroy you first,” she cackled with spite. She pointed her wand towards Ritz and exerted a powerful force of glittering dark magic. The force hit Ritz in the stomach and she fell back a few feet. A painful sensation grew in her middle but she managed to stand up again. Ritz pulled out her sword. A confused and worried expression fell on Phaedra’s eyes as she saw the weapon in the Ixi’s hands.

     “So the prophecy is true,” she whispered as she gazed at the beautiful silver sword. “And young Princess Ritzalina has come to defend her kingdom,” she cackled loudly. “Well, we will see if you can defeat me,” she said. Phaedra aimed her wand again and another magical force traveled for Ritz’s chest. But the Ixi blocked the magic with her sword and the force backfired for the Dark Faerie. The magic was so powerful that Ritz stumbled to the floor but managed to catch a glimpse of what happened to Phaedra. The evil Faerie was hit full on by the back fired spell. She was stunned by the shock and her eyes widened with horror as she faltered to the ground. Then Ritz reached behind her wing and took out the dark nova. A pink essence glowed around the black star as the Ixi held it high in the air.

     “No, what are you doing!?” screamed Phaedra in pain. She scrambled for her wand but she was too late. Ritz placed the nova on the ground and raised her sword high above her head. She sent her sword crashing upon the black nova and smashed the star into pieces. As the nova broke, the powers from with in it seeped out like a foggy mist. Ritz could feel the power inside her; it burned through her heart like an icy fire. All of Ritz’s memories flashed before her eyes. Her birthing ceremony when she was blessed and cursed at the same time, her 12th birthday when she received Flutter the Faellie, the time she met Phaedra in the forest and helped her, the first time she entered a shadow dream, the night Kallisto died, when she ran away to a cave in the mountains and met Evander, the day she returned to the cottage and got captured, when she was trapped in the dungeon and discovered a secret tunnel, when she was chased by the prison guards and Evander saved her. Ritz could feel all of her emotions at once. Innocence, happiness, kindness, frightfulness, sadness, anger, love, curiosity, and bravery filled her insides with the power of the nova.

     Suddenly, the shattered nova reformed itself from the pieces on the ground. Magic was filled with in it, a new kind of magic… love. The nova transformed into golden lightness and was no longer black. Phaedra began to change also. The new magic from inside the light nova circled around her body. The Dark Faerie was transformed into a beautiful Light Faerie once again. Kindness filled her eyes and her purple gown changed into white. Her long black hair became locks of gold. Phaedra circled around and twirled her arms into the air.

     “I’m myself again,” she said softly. “Princess Ritzalina, you’ve done it! You’ve lifted the curse of the dark nova!” The Ixi smiled and ran for Phaedra.

     “So you are no longer evil?” she asked.

     “Of course not,” Phaedra said warmly. “I only forgot what love and kindness meant,” she said gently. “But you have given it back to me. You have given me a second chance.” Phaedra wrapped her arms around the Ixi and let a single tear stream down her cheek. “Thank you, Princess Ritzalina.”

     The dark shadows evaporated and Ritz found herself back in the corridor with Evander by her side. In her hand, the Ixi found the golden nova, sparkling like the bright stars in the sky. Ritz reached for her sheath and discovered her sword safely tucked inside. She breathed calmly and looked into the Draik’s eyes. They didn’t say anything, only held each other for eternity.

     Just like Phaedra and the dark nova had changed, so did their surroundings. The cruel shadowy castle transformed back into a golden palace bright with merriment. The halls were bursting with song and color. Ritz looked out the great window where the kingdom of Meridell lay peaceful under the warm sun. The thick black clouds of thunderous weather drifted away to reveal dapples of white clouds in the twilight blue sky. But out of everything that had happened, Ritz felt changed most of all. She had grown to learn so many new things in life. At first she wanted to just run away from all her fears and responsibilities. Now Ritz knew where she truly belonged.

     “Evander, I know who I am now. I have found my place as the heir to the throne,” she said slowly. “But I have not forgotten our agreement. I will help you to return to Riverence… if that is what you wish,” she said with sadness in her breath. The white Draik held her hand warmly and looked into her eyes.

     “No, I think there just might be a place for me here,” he said excitedly. “Princess, I chose to serve you as a knight of Meridell.” Ritz held their gaze and laughed with happiness. She couldn’t wish for anything better.


The End
Previous Episodes

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part One

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Two

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Three

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Four

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Five

The Curse of the Dark Nova: Part Six


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